Nu-Venture
Nu-Venture Coaches Ltd is an Aylesford, Kent-based bus company. Established in 1960s as a coach company, Nu-Venture once operated coach tour holidays all over Europe, and, in the 1980s, a London commuter service, but coach hire activities ceased in 2010. On UK deregulation of local buses in 1986, local bus operation started with a joint service 58 between Maidstone, West Malling and Trottiscliffe/Ryarsh. Since the 1990s, the fleet and area of operation has expanded to allow 28 buses to serve Maidstone, Medway, Malling, Gravesham, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells. Daily operation of bus service 151 (Medway/Kings Hill) under contract to Kent & Medway Councils commenced in April 2008, part-replacing a previous and long-established Nu-Venture commercial operation. This and other Nu-Venture operations in Medway serve Chatham Town Centre's new Waterfront Bus Station, opened 10 October 2011 and used by all local bus operators. Previously, Nu-Venture used on-street stands, rather than entering the Arriva-controlled Pentagon bus station. Under contract to Kent County Council, Nu-Venture operate a number of services, including much of the TRANSWEALD 295 / 297 route from Tunbridge Wells and Tenterden to Ashford during the daytime on Mondays to Fridays. From April 2010, Nu-Venture's operation of Kent County Council services altered, routes 23, 26, 27, 66, 404 and 405 being assumed in place of operations on services 71, 81, 82, 85, 88 and 158 - the contracts for the latter two services being regained in April 2012. From September 2010, routes operated under contract to Medway Council altered with the assumption of routes 172/173 (Chatham-Earl Estate) but loss of 179 (Chatham-Walderslade) and 172/173 have subsequently had journeys diverted (as 174/175) to serve Medway City Estate (using a newly-constructed bus-only link road); this road is also part of the 170 route, provided from August 2011 by Nu-Venture on a commercial basis to link Medway Gate with Chatham. Two Kent/Medway contracts have been assumed in the recent past; from April 2011, services 130/131 (Maidstone/Hempstead Valley/Rainham/Twydall, with a limited service beyond to Medway Maritime Hospital), and service 150 (Maidstone/Blue Bell Hill Village/Walderslade/Lordswood) from January 2012. Nu-Venture operate a growing number of modern accessible low-floor easy access single-deck buses, but, amongst older buses, a quantity of new-to-London 1980s Leyland Titan double-deck buses, converted from dual- to single-door specification, remain, three of which carry the current two-greens fleet livery which was introduced in 2010 to replace the earlier white/blue. Since December 2010, the 'Ticketer' ticketing system has been in use, providing smartcard and vehicle location functions as well as the normal ticket-issuing function. Routes Routes operated include the following (more details and timetables at www.nu-venture.co.uk) : Gallery File: Nu-Venture R720 BNF.jpg|Marshall Bus bodied Dennis Dart carrying the previous standard Nu-Venture blue/white bus livery which is now being gradually superseded by a green-based livery. File: Nu Venture fiesta blue Maidstone Centenary bus.jpg|Former London Transport Leyland Titan T857 (A857 SUL), pictured wearing Maidstone Corporation Transport centenary livery applied in 2004 by Nu-Venture. The fiesta-blue and cream colours were used on Maidstone Corporation's bus fleet from the 1970s for a period. This bus has since been repainted to carry an overall advert for the Kent County Council 'Freedom Pass' scheme. File: Nu Venture Olympian in Maidstone Centenary ochre.jpg|Alexander RH bodied Leyland Olympian, 100 (H838 PTW), new to Dublin Bus in 1990, pictured when still owned by Nu-Venture and wearing a representation of the Maidstone Corporation brown and cream livery used until the 1970s and again in the early 1980s. The bus was disposed of in 2006 by Nu-Venture and is believed to be in the South Humberside area. External links *Nu-Venture website Category:Maidstone (borough) Category:Bus operators in England